In the beginning; it is the Spirit of God i.e. the Holy Spirit that is over the earth, not the Word (Jesus). Then God spoke the Word and creation happened. This creation did not happen by just God and the Word, but by the Spirit moving. - Gen. 1:1 says, "the Spirit of God was hovering" meaning it was waiting for something to do. As God spoke, the Spirit moved to accomplish His will.

Abraham has the first recorded encounter with God after Adam. The bible records this as a word coming from God in a vision - Gen. 15:1. This is a manifestation of the Spirit. Just like we sometimes have a sixth sense about things; Abraham was being hinted by God through the movement of the Holy Spirit. Abraham would have grown up around stories of God and His Spirit. He also would have been influenced by the Spirit by God's directions to the point he became aware of a personal relationship with God. We must remember at this time, redemption was not available for 1000's of years until the birth of Jesus. So as far as Abraham was concerned, he was blazing a trail without any history or method of becoming in tune with God. All he had was the Holy Spirit.

The first miracle conception is recorded with Sarah - Gen 21:1. Now the bible doesn’t say the Spirit but indicates this as “the Lord visited” meaning the Spirit came upon her as by God’s Word - “as He had spoken”. This is key in understanding that God's agents like angels and the Holy Spirit are able to interact with men and women even though they are not divinely transformed. God, the person cannot interact with what is deemed as unholy.

Isaac demonstrates the practical application of the Holy Spirit around us by following God’s direction and having an expectation from his words for his future wife. - Gen 24:14. Some would refer to this as a fleece, where we do something, expecting a precise outcome, indicating this as Godly ordained. Isaac also evokes God to use the Spirit to give his barren wife Rebekah the ability to conceive. - Gen 25:21, "the Lord was entreated and Rebekah conceived".

Jacob the son of Isaac marry Rachel who is barren but by the Spirit bears Joseph who is a key player for Israel regardless of all the other children by concubines and handmaidens - Gen 30:22. These children form the twelve tribes of Israel, but only the last two is from the union of Jacob and Rachel. With all the miracles births by the intervention of the Holy Spirit the true lineage of our savior, Jesus is established.

Joseph is given a dream (a vision) of his pending appointment in Egypt by the Holy Spirit - Gen 37:5 and receives favour (the movement of the Holy Spirit) from God through his life. He also has the gift of interpretation by the Holy Spirit. Joseph essentially saves the people of Israel and he did this without any manual or instructions but only by the Spirit.

Previous
IS

Spiritual Awakening

April 9, 2016.

Before the Bible.

About
JESUS

What is significant if we examine the occurrences of the Holy Spirit is that God is refining and controlling His plan for the redemption of His creation and man. God is almighty and has the ability to destroy, but rather than destroying all the wrong works of man and satan, He massages it towards His will. He does this by using the Holy Spirit to influence and direct. Now keep in mind the Word was not written until Moses was an old man and most of his youth and early adulthood was spent with the Egyptians, meaning his knowledge and history would be based on their perspective and not God's. Yet, as we know it the bible is accurate in its recordings. Sure, stories of Adam, Abraham, Isaac and Joseph would have been kept and passed through generations but they would be limited to the main highlights of these individual lives and their accomplishments. It is the Holy Spirit that fills any gaps in the writings of Moses and others. Essentially, without a written Word, men and women of God were moved by the Holy Spirit by their own free will and intuitions.

Before the written Word, the Holy Spirit was an active component in the lives of men and women who looked to God and who God chose for His eternal will. This same Holy Spirit is demonstrated through the rest of the bible. It is by this Spirit; Christians are sons and daughters of God. Yet, for some Christians, they rarely acknowledge the availability, knowledge and use of it. I once was told by someone who even saw the Holy Spirit as a shade of purple whenever they placed themselves available to it.

Now, the term spirit is sometimes cross-referenced with all manner of a feeling we have. This is something all Christian’s should be aware of as we ought not to be led by our feelings as this is where satan looks to influence us. Yes, we should be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit, but are directed to test every spirit - 1 Jn. 4:1. We do this by measuring it against the Word and our own knowledge, understanding, wisdom and by the Holy Spirit which is there to guide us. This is because a spirit does not die or for that matter vaporizes into nothingness. God is a Spirit and so are all His creations based on His image. This would include demonic forces (spirits) which were “good” beings and became influenced by the “dark side” and rebelled against God and His ways. Why is it important to come to the knowledge of the Holy Spirit and its potential for our good? God is perfect in all His ways, so when He created humanity all was provided not only on the physical level but more so on the Spiritual level. Now, to be clear the Holy Spirit does not circumvent God or Jesus but works in harmony as a “body” for Godly things to be accomplished. The Holy Spirit is essential for our blessing, divinity, and grace. When we actively acknowledge the Holy Spirit presence, we place ourselves in the position for divine intervention. We do this as we would welcome God, Jesus or even angels into our homes (hearts) giving them their rightful place. We also must respect the Holy Spirit is a part of God and not abuse it, less we condemn ourselves - Mk. 3:29. Interesting, this is the only thing God says there is no recover from. This indicates that the Holy Spirit has no biases and is akin to the very nature of God.

The Holy Spirit is the “third leg” of the Holy Trinity and has been active in men and women lives fulfilling its role in God’s plans and presence in our lives. It does not overshadow our birthright as heirs to God’s Kingdom and just like angels, need our input to make it active. Like all aspects of God, its best when we develop a righteous relationship with it, utilizing it in conjunction with the Word, angels and our own Spirit.

Flush it Out! - Holy Spirit be my friend.

Do you ever consider where we would be without the bible as the Word of God to inspire, guide and fill us? For most it cannot be put away from their daily walk and is a constant reminder to us as to why we oppose the world and its ways. The bible is more than just the recording of history and what was is traditionally known as the Old and New Testament. God has said if anyone alters the words in this book is automatically guaranteed the wrath of God - Deut. 4:2; Rev. 22:18-19. You may ask, “what if this person repent for altering the bible; will they be able to go to Heaven.” Persons who are in positions of leadership or that of a teacher, where their actions impact others will be held more accountable for any lost sheep. They will always have the grace for the forgiveness of sin, but the measure of their reward may be drastically reduced. God is always merciful with a repenting heart. But how did men and women act accordingly before the written Word?

It is estimated between Adam and Moses when the Torah; the first five books of the bible was written is close to 3000 years. This would be the beginning of the “written Word” inspired by God. Now, we have to remember the books from Genesis to Deuteronomy covers a lot of time from creation to giving of the Ten Commandments and the arrival into the promise land. It is calculated that twenty-six generations came before Moses. So how did all these people live without the bible? Like most cultures even today without basic writing documentation; their history was passed down through successive generations by storytellers. This in itself is a feat compounded by thousands of years. We as believers have to come to the conclusion this could not be accomplished without the intervention of God through the Holy Spirit. Yes, the Spirit existed prior to Pentecost, just as the Word (Jesus) prior to any formal written word of the bible - Gen. 1:2; Jn. 1:1.

All the men and women who lived prior to Genesis being written would have been led by the Spirit. This is the same Spirit that dwells with us now. Then, why it is Jesus tells us; "He has to leave, so the Holy Spirit can come? - Jn. 16:7. What Jesus is really doing is reinforcing what has been available to all of us since God first began to establish His presence here on the earth. He, Jesus is correcting a mindset in our minds and Spirits that the Holy Spirit is the one part of the Holy Trinity that we all ought to avail ourselves to. Consider these as recorded through the bible before the writings by Moses.